Human Trafficking in Domestic Work in the EU: A Special Case or a Learning Ground for the Anti-Trafficking Field?

Alexandra Ricard-Guay, Thanos Maroukis
2017 Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies  
The field of study on trafficking in human beings (THB) has developed greatly since the adoption of the Palermo Protocol 15 years ago. It has gone through important shifts, one of which being greater attention toward forms of trafficking other than sexual exploitation, notably for forced labor and services. Yet, the expansion of the anti-trafficking field also faces new challenges and gaps in knowledge. One of the emerging areas that has gained interest and that needs further research is that
more » ... THB in domestic work (MIGS, 2015) . This Special Issue precisely examines this phenomenon in six European countries: Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and Great Britain. 1 Contributions to this issue examine cases of severe exploitation in domestic work, analyze the conditions that are prone to exploitation, and explore why such situations of trafficking are not identified and prevented. It is timely to look at trafficking in the context of care and domestic work, not only because this area has been largely understudied, but also because in this context the private realm of interpersonal relations-a domain that has remained largely unexplored in the trafficking field of studies-are of fundamental importance. Domestic work is a perfect example of how gaps in policies (labor, immigration, welfare), social values and norms, and the relational dimension interplay in situations of trafficking. This is the point of departure, the premise, of this Special Issue. Given the peculiar nature of domestic work-being performed in private households and being at the junction of labor market and family-looking at trafficking in this context can contribute to advancing further the understanding of THB. Domestic work presents multifaceted challenges that speak to and inform a better understanding of the various areas and forms of trafficking. Trafficking in domestic work Employment of domestic workers is a widespread phenomenon in Europe. The factors that have contributed to the increased demand for outsourcing care and domestic work have been well documented in the literature: increased participation CONTACT Alexandra Ricard-Guay
doi:10.1080/15562948.2017.1310340 fatcat:hj4hwnjop5au7gsuttvtlgwqau